Randallstown woman pleads guilty in attempted murder case

By Andrea F. Siegel, The Baltimore Sun

A woman who prosecutors said brought a rifle to the shooting of a Reisterstown teen pleaded guilty Monday to attempted first-degree murder and use of a gun, according to a spokesman for Howard County prosecutors.

Howard County Circuit Court Judge Richard S. Bernhardt set a sentencing date of July 5, when prosecutors are expected to seek a 25-year sentence for Chiquita Sketers, 22, of Randallstown, according to spokesman T. Wayne Kirwan.

The plea stems from a June 19, 2012, incident in which Sterling Randolph Watts, 15, was shot in the back of the head, but survived life-threatening injuries.

Police say Watts had been walking to a friend's home in Reisterstown when he was abducted, allegedly by Laura Christian Karr, 25, and Donald George Peoples Jr., 21. Kirwan said police believe Karr had mistakenly identified the teenager as having stolen something from Peoples.

According to a statement of facts presented in the case, Peoples took cellphones from the teen and punched him as Karr drove. They later picked up Sketers, who had possession of a rifle, police said. The court documents allege the three then drove Watts to rural Marriottsville, where Sketers gave Peoples the rifle.

Peoples is accused of shooting the teen in the back of the head. Sterling survived, but needed surgery to his skull and neck, according to prosecutors' statement.

Peoples and Karr, both of Reisterstown, are scheduled to stand trial this summer on attempted first-degree murder and related charges.

The case resulted in a second shooting — in July 2012, Baltimore County police were investigating the incident and attempted to search a home where they thought Karr and Peoples might be. There, an officer shot and killed Karr's uncle, Ronald M. Cox, 48, who police said attacked an officer with a sword. The officer involved in the shooting was returned to his tactical unit after a departmental review.

A 31-year-old man who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Baltimore after he pleaded guilty to possessing 5.9 grams of marijuana won an appeal Wednesday invalidating the plea — raising the possibility that he will be released.